Introduction
Educational standards and curriculum are central parts of the American instructional system. However, the difference and the relationship between the two can be confusing, despite their direct influence on students’ instructional planning. It is crucial to understand the relationships between and contributions of these two concepts, as well as their impact on a student’s academic performance and the teacher’s role in it.
Standards vs. Curriculum
First, it’s crucial to identify the two concepts and outline their differences. Said, standards act as objectives for learning, whereas curriculum is the subject matter of instruction (“Standards vs. Curriculum“, 2022). Teachers essentially use standards to guide instruction, as they provide each class with a clear goal. Teachers use curricula to help students acquire the skills and knowledge required to pass each level (“Standards vs. Curriculum“, 2022). Hence, standards are used to guide schools and individual teachers while designing a curriculum.
Purpose of Standards
Standards are crucial since they are designed to ensure that children progress at the right rate toward their developmental goals. In Arizona, students in early education settings are expected to meet eight standards. These include socioemotional, language, literacy, learning strategies, math, science, community, physical development, and the arts (“Arizona Early Learning Standards”, 2021). These standards coincide with the developmental milestones that every student should meet: cognitive, linguistic, physical, social, and emotional (“Typical and Atypical, 2018”). Hence, standards for education are established to help students meet their developmental milestones.
How Teachers Use Standards
As was previously noted, teachers write curriculum using educational standards as a reference. Standards specify what learners are expected to know and be able to do at a particular stage of learning. Thus, teachers use that information to design assignments that cultivate these abilities in students (“Standards vs. Curriculum“, 2022). As a result, standards are used by teachers to create curricula as requirements for students’ knowledge and skills
Teacher’s Role in the Curriculum Process
The purpose of a curriculum is to facilitate students’ learning, and teachers are instrumental in its administration. A teacher is supposed to put a curriculum into practice, assist in its creation, and promote students’ development (Karakuş, 2021). The goals of a curriculum are to provide students with information and skills, to make sure they make full use of available possibilities, and to ensure educational development (Karakuş, 2021). Consequently, a teacher is expected to participate in developing and executing a curriculum that would enhance students’ academic outcomes.
Individualization
One of the best methods to guarantee that each student receives the support they require from a teacher is through individualized education. The overarching objective of individualizing is to better fulfill the needs of each learner by adapting training to their unique qualities(Tetzlaff et al., 2022). Individualization is becoming a widespread phenomenon in US schools and is mainly utilized in 3 distinct ways. These are: assigning various tasks to various students, giving each student specialized attention, and giving various amounts of time to various students working on the same assignment.
Pre-Assessments and Post-Assessments
Pre- and post-assessments are essential components of education because they enable teachers to modify their courses. A pre-assessment is completed before students start a new learning unit or program to determine their readiness to complete learning objectives. Post-assessment is helpful in identifying trends and progress achieved by a student. Post-evaluation techniques include individual checks, group conversations, and writing assignments (Sanders, 2019). Hence, pre- and post-assessments gather information about the student’s current knowledge before or at the end of a cycle, allowing teachers to make necessary adjustments to the curriculum.
Conclusion
As a result, educational standards and school curricula have a significant impact on how students are educated. Standards are used to guide educational institutions and specific teachers while developing curricula. This is because the state provides educational standards to help pupils reach their developmental goals, which are later used by teachers to create curricula as they serve as the knowledge and skill requirements for students. Hence, standards and curriculum are important in structuring and organizing a child’s educational schedule, as well as ensuring their academic future.
References
Arizona Early Learning Standards. (2021). Northern Arizona University.
Karakuş, Gülçin (2021). A literary review on curriculum implementation problems. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 9(3), 201-220.
Sanders, S. (2019). A brief guide to selecting and using pre-post assessments. ERIC.
Standards vs. Curriculum (2022). Southern Regional Education Board.
Tetzlaff, L., Hartmann, U., Dumont, H., & Brod, G. (2022). Assessing individualized instruction in the classroom: Comparing teacher, student, and observer perspectives. Learning and Instruction, 82(3), 101655.
Typical and Atypical Childhood Development Module 2: Early Childhood, Ages 4-8 Matrices. (2018). Wisconsin Department of Health Services.